Call for Submissions: Impressions Artist Residency, in Collaboration with the Conseil des arts de Montréal

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA), with the support of the Conseil des arts de Montréal (CAM), is launching a call for applications to its Impressions artist residency. For an eight-week period, in March and April 2023, the Museum will open its doors and holdings to a visual artist from one of Montreal’s cultural communities.

As one of the city’s leading cultural institutions, the MMFA is strongly committed to supporting original initiatives that offer artists and artistic establishments an opportunity for mutual enrichment. The Impressions residency is intended for individuals who meet the following eligibility criteria, set forth by the Conseil des arts de Montréal:

• Be a professional solo visual artist (painting, sculpture, video art, installation art, performance art, photography) who has completed basic training in the arts and possesses a level of skill recognized by their peers. The professional artist creates, performs or publishes works that are exhibited or distributed. Their artistic practice is their primary occupation, and they are remunerated for the works they create;
• Belong to a cultural community or visible minority*;
• Have less than seven years of professional experience in Quebec;
• Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada;
• Have resided on the island of Montreal for at least one year;

Please note that the Impressions residency is not open to MMFA or CAM employees, or their close relatives. In addition, any submissions from artists whose works already feature in the MMFA’s collection will not be accepted.

*For an explanation of these terms, as defined by the Conseil des arts de Montréal, please visit artsmontreal.org/en/glossary/?category=cultural-diversity-in-the-arts

A dialogue between the artist and the MMFA’s collection, unique in its kind in Canada

The Impressions artist residency encourages a transversal dialogue by allowing the artist to use the Museum’s collection as inspiration for carrying out a research-creation project. The MMFA is home to the largest and most wide-ranging collection in Canada, with over 45,000 works, 3,465 of which are on display in its five pavilions. The artist in residence will bring forth an original perspective on this rich and varied collection.

A project funded by the MMFA and the Conseil des arts de Montréal

This initiative benefits from the financial support of the Conseil des arts de Montréal. The artist in residence will be selected by a jury composed of members from both partner organizations and will receive $7,000, consisting of an honorarium of $4,000 and an allowance of $3,000 ($375 per week over eight weeks). The residency will enable the artist to conduct research that will serve as the foundation for creating works in the weeks that follow.

Selection criteria:

• Originality of artistic approach
• Flexibility and autonomy
• Understanding of the historical and artistic context of the MMFA’s collection
• The Project’s positive potential for the candidate’s career, the expansion of the Museum’s audiences and the MMFA’s collection.

Applications

All those interested must complete the online application and attach the following documents to their application:

• An up-to-date résumé
• Ten images of their artworks
• A brief biography and description of their artistic approach
• A letter of intent outlining the proposed research project, its objectives and a proposed work schedule (over eight weeks), and describing the relevance of the residency to their artistic approach and the expected outcomes of the residency.

Applications must be submitted by Monday, December 12, 2022.

See the application

For further information, please contact: appelresidence@mbamtl.org

List of past laureates:
Karen Tam (2013-2014)
Naghmeh Sharifi (2014-2015)
Pansee Atta (2015-2016)
Ari Bayuaji (2016-2017)
Jobena Petonoquot (2017-2018)
Leila Zelli (2018-2019)
Nayla Dabaji (2019-2020)
Ahreum Lee (2020-2021)
Anahita Norouzi (2021-2022)

About the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
Founded in 1860, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) is the oldest art museum in Canada and a leading museum in North America. Its collection showcases Quebec and Canadian heritage and international art from a critical and intercultural perspective, and comprises over 45,000 paintings, sculptures, graphic art works, photographs, multimedia installations and decorative art objects dating from antiquity to the present. The MMFA's exhibitions span every discipline from archaeology to fine arts, to contemporary practices. Laid out over five interconnecting pavilions, the Museum complex includes over 80 exhibition galleries, the Bourgie concert hall, an auditorium and movie theatre, the Boutique and Bookstore, an in-house publishing department, a public sculpture garden and the Michel de la Chenelière International Atelier for Education and Art Therapy. A pioneering museum in the provision of art therapy, the MMFA works with the community, education, health and technology sectors to give all people exposure to art through inclusive and enriching experiences. mbam.qc.ca

About the Conseil des arts de Montréal
A dynamic partner of artistic creativity in Montreal, the Conseil des arts de Montréal identifies, supports and recognizes excellence and innovation in the creation, production and presentation of professional artistic endeavours. It encourages openness, discovery and daring at the heart of Montreal’s artistic landscape, thanks to its initiatives. Since 1956, the Conseil des arts de Montréal has been an influential player in the development of “Montreal, Cultural Metropolis.” artsmontreal.org